Road That Leads to You
by DrGregor
Summary: Lord Alec and the street urchin Magnus were thick as thieves, there for each other every step of the way for years. Magnus was there for Alec in the darkest part of his life. But when Magnus needs his friend, suddenly, Alec disappears. Magnus finds himself missing more than Alec's friendship, and its up to him to find his friend. loosely based on the song "Maps" by Maroon 5
1. Start Navigation

Magnus ducked again as another rotten vegetable flew over his head. The tomato smashed against the wall, a striking red on dirty stone. Magnus gulped. It was possibly what his head would look like when they caught up with him. _That's actually a fruit…_ his brain supplied helpfully as the dirty boy ran behind a rain barrel set out on the street to collect any extra water during this dry summer. He was shaking, dirty strings of dark hair falling in his face.

"Get back here, thief!" An older man bellowed at Magnus, puffing as he jogged to chase the small, quick child. The thief frantically shook his head, even if the man couldn't see him behind the barrel, and clutched the soft bread loaf to his chest.

From in the street, there was more shouting and then the clanking of metal on stone. Magnus peeked out. Armored guards were now marching down the street, and there was the distinct _clip-clop_ of shod horses.

Turning his head to watch the procession pass, Magnus saw an open carriage pulled by a team of white horses pass by. The Lady Maryse and her four beautiful children, her husband Lord Robert Lightwood, riding by the side of the woman and children. Magnus watched, transfixed.

Until he felt a gloved hand close over his forearm and a gruff voice sneering, "Gotcha, ya little sneak!"

Magnus looked back, eyes wide, to see a guard gripping his arm. "Let go!" he shouted, trying to get away from the man. But the grip on his arm was too tight and he was too weak. Thrashing about, never the less, Magnus wouldn't give in. He hit the rain barrel, and it fell, drenching the man, who shouted in surprise, his grip loosing enough that Magnus could wrench himself away, his sleeve tearing off in the process. He still clutched his now crushed loaf of bread, but it was his first meal of the week, and perhaps his only. There was no way he would give it up.

So Magnus ran away. He ran the only way he could run, towards the street. And then there was more shouting, more men running towards him with outstretched hands and knives, all aiming for him. He darted out into the street, right in front of the parade of the Lightwood family. The horses were spooked by his sudden appearance and reared up, Magnus falling back on his bum in surprise, covering his face as he yelped in terror. This was how it would end! Trampled by a horse!

But the blow never came. Instead, there was a loud yet gentle voice from right in front of him, speaking to the horses. "Woah, there, girls! Easy, he's not going to hurt you!" Magnus opened his eyes slowly, peering between dirty fingers at the back of a young black haired boy in far fancier dress than he'd ever seen on a child before. Clean but unruly black hair reaching the boy's shoulders and a light blue, expensive tunic, soft leather boots with hardly a scratch on them. These spoke of wealth, and it could be no coincidence since he was in from of a lord's carriage. This was a Lightwood child, and he had saved Magnus' life. Green eyes swirled with golden gazed up in amazement, meeting depthless blue when the boy turned around, to face him, guards rushing in to take control of the horses.

"Are you okay?" the lordling asked, eyebrows knitted in concern for the creature at his feet. Magnus nodded, dumbstruck. "Good…that was very close. You shouldn't have run out like that in front of the horses. They might have killed you". It was strange to hear such a grown up voice come out of a boy who must have been no more than eight years old. A small, pale hand reached out to Magnus. He just stared. The boy looked at him strangely and grasped Magnus' own arm, yanking him a little. The young thief got the picture, letting the little lord help him stand, still clutching at the bread. The dark haired boy was surprisingly strong for being so small. He was tall for his age, though, taller than Magnus at least, thin and bony and well structured. But Magnus was thinner, his bones sticking out a little, and his ragged, too small clothes hung of his thin frame.

"Uh…thank you. For saving me" mumbled Magnus, unable to even meet the boy's gaze any longer. Just shrugging, the Lightwood child smiled brilliantly. "I didn't save you, I just calmed the horses. It's what any person would do".

Magnus eyed the crowd. Those men were coming forward again to grab him. No, not everyone would do what the future Lord Lightwood had.

The boy had followed Magnus' eyes, and held out his hands to the advancing menaces. He didn't understand what was happening, but he took control. "Don't worry, he is alright. Just stay back, please".

"My apologies, little Lord, but this rat has stolen from me" the baker said angrily, though he stopped his forward motion.

Looking back at Magnus, the boy frowned. "Is that true?" he whisper asked. The thief nodded miserably. But the young lord just turned back. "Judging by the experience he just had, I believe this boy deserves a little bread. Here, this ought to be sufficient payment for your loss". Digging out a silver coin from a little bag around his belt, Magnus' savior tossed it to the baker. It certainly was sufficient for the three copper priced bread loaf.

"My lord…thank you" the baker, grabbing the piece out of the air, bowed, backing away. The other men looked on enviously, glaring at Magnus, who stood, shrunken in fear and embarrassment. The bread was like a life raft he clung to now. He dare not look at the boy he stood behind. Lord Robert rode up on his horse.

"Excellent, son. That was very diplomatic and brave of you. But next time, do no leap in front of the horses. Your mother almost had a heart attack" the lord looked down at his son with a twinkle in his dark eyes but a small frown on his handsome olive face. He scratched idly at his trim beard. "What do you plan to do with this beggar boy?" asked the Lord to his son, glancing at Magnus, who stood frozen, eyes downcast.

Standing bravely next to him, the young Lightwood glanced to the peasant boy. "Father, I would like to invite him for dinner tonight".

"Very good. Bring him up to the carriage then, and we may move on". The tall man turned his horse and rode away. The young lord grinned from ear to ear at the boy he would now call friend. "Come on. Father wants to move on. You can sit next to me in the carriage. What's your name?" the boy was excitedly talking a million miles per hour, and Magnus looked up with his strange eyes, trying to catch it all.

"Uh..its..Ma-Magnus, m'lord" he mumbled, looking at the fine carriage. The Lightwood looked expectantly at him. "Just Magnus. I don't have a surname" he finished. The boy looked surprised but grabbed his arm again, tugging him over.

"Oh. Well, come on, Magnus. Dinner is going to start without us" the boy said as he practically dragged the street boy over to his large wooden and gaudily painted golden carriage.

"You can call me Alec, by the way".

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**Well, there you have it. First chapter of my new fic. Short, yes, but it's a tester...This entire plot is coming to me from the song Maps by Maroon 5. Obviously, it's not quite a love story right now, and the plot isn't going to exactly follow what the song is about, but that's my inspiration. Please, read and review, I'm extremely curious about what you think!**


	2. Take First Exit On The Right

Alec. Lord Alexander Gideon Lightwood, future lord of Lightwood Manor, Lightwood Institute, this vast stretch of land outside of Alicante, and possible, future fiancé of the princess of Idris, Clarissa Morgenstern. Messy black hair, brilliant blue eyes, and eternally fair white skin. He was beautiful for an eight year old, ladies whispering he'd be a handsome young man as well as a fair, just leader.

Isabelle 'Izzy' Lightwood, the same height as her brighter at the age of five, and with the same lovely features, if not more rounded. She was the lady of the family, in dresses and pretty hair styles, chasing frogs through the mud to put in her brothers' beds and then pouting when she got in trouble.

Jace Wayland, son of poor old Michael Wayland, killed in a hunting accident last year. He was the adopted one, golden and beautiful, like an angel in appearance and while around the adults. A wild child while free, helping Izzy and probably throwing mud at her in the process of frog hunting. Smart, but not as smart as Alec. Braver than his adoptive brother, stronger, bigger, but never letting on because he secretly admired Alec.

All this was whispered in Magnus' ear on the carriage ride over after the introductions, by Alec, to Maryse and the children of Magnus no-last-name. Magnus didn't like answering personal questions, so they had given up on that front and Alec had decided to tell Magnus' all about his family. He didn't learn very much about the baby Max, because as Alec put it, "All he does is eat, sleep, and cry".

Magnus felt slightly uncomfortable. Lady Maryse was very nice, the children were all polite and asked him a few questions both, but Alec just kept talking and talking. The beggar boy had never felt anyone give him this much attention for a very long time. His mother had been gone for over a year. She promised to come back, but she didn't. Magus didn't know his father, nor any other relations he might have. The village was his home, but it was becoming more hostile to him each day as he started to steal more and more often just to survive.

Saying none of this to Alec, just listening, Magnus wondered why he was here, on a bumpy carriage ride up a dirt road to the large stone manor atop the hill, surrounded at this distance by thick trees, the mountains rising to the east, the river leading to the ocean in the north, and the village in the north-east. Idris' capital city Alicante was just south of the Lightwood Manor, and the west was an expanse of woodland belong to the myths and legends of the country.

"Magnus, are you even paying attention?" Alec asked suddenly, in the darker boys face. The boy in question jumped, shaking himself. "hm?"

Alec shook his head and frowned. "I asked if you've ever been out of the village before".

Magnus blushed, embarrassed the he had been caught thinking, instead of giving the lord his full, undivided attention. "I haven't ever been this far from home before" he said quickly, looking around. They were perhaps, three miles from the manor and five from the village, forest on one side and fields on the other, farmers stopping to wave at the passing procession, others bowing and calling praise to the kind yet powerful Lord Robert.

Gleeful, Alec grinned at being the first to give Magnus a look at the world outside his back alley bed. He started to point out small wood and stone buildings, like a church, a old burned stable, and the carrot farmers storage structure. They saw three hares and a small fawn in the woods, heard a fox bark, and her mate answering. Magnus was actually beginning to enjoy himself, the golden boy Jace joining them at the edge of the carriage.

Lady Maryse watched the trio of boys closely. Alec was a wonderful boy, and he seemed to like Magnus already. While she wanted her son to have a friend his own age, she had hoped it would be perhaps the son of another lord, or perhaps a rich merchant boy. Not a dirty, shoeless orphan in torn clothing and smelling of garbage. Magnus seemed harmless enough, but one could never be too sure this days. There was a war going on with the Downworlders, those people with magic and creature of myth who wanted more than the massive forest they had been given by King Valentine Morgenstern to live in. And Magnus had strange eyes, unnatural, one might say. Many warlocks had strange marks like that, demonic characteristics. The Lady only wanted to protect her family.

Unaware of grown up politics, the three boys just watched the countryside roll by. Magnus didn't even realize he was still holding his bread until Jace asked why he even had it.

"I was..hungry" Magnus admitted, looking away from the golden boy. Alec looked at Jace. "Can't you see he is poor, Jace? Poor people steal". He hadn't meant offense by it, only stating a fact he knew, but the look of hurt and anger on Magnus' small face made him apologize profusely.

Magnus looked back at the bread and then to the ground, "It's okay…" he mumbled but Alec didn't accept that, still apologizing until Izzy told him to shut his meat-pie-hole.

"Isabelle Lightwood!" Maryse snapped, shifting in her seat to give the young girl a look of horrow at her daughter's language.

She rolled her eyes," Sorry, Mother. Alec, please, for the love of angels, stop moving your mouth". Not impressed by the mention of angels, the Lady gave Isabelle a mini lecture as the two brothers looked on, glad they weren't the ones getting a talking to. Magnus just felt uncomfortable again.

Magnus looked up at a cry to open the gates from the rear of the prosession. He hadn't even noticed they were so close to the manor. The gates ahead were much taller than even Lord Robert. Magnus felt tiny beneath their massive height and wide wooden planks. The stone wall stretched all the way around the Lightwood Estate, acres and agres of land. He'd heard rumors there was even a small lake in the walled land.

Alec looked at Magnus eagerly. "Look! We're almost there" exclaimed the boy as he pointed out the massive manor. It almost looked like a cathedral, or how his mother had told him cathedrals looked like. Tall and stoney, with high pointed towers and walk ways and stained glass windows, the manor was also very wide, sprawling across the trim grass lawn. The dirt road lead straight to the grey building. He could see the Lightwood banners flying as well as King Valentine's. Magnus shrunk into the carriage floorboards. He didn't belong here. This was the place of Lords and of royalty and riches. He was poor and dirty and orphaned.

The carriage rolled over the stone pathway and up to the large double doors of the manor. Servants, or maybe guards, opened the doors, and another man held out a hand to Lady Maryse and helped the children down. Magnus looked warily at the man and got out himself, "I'm fine by myself..." he said weakly, jumping out. Alec looked as him oddly, but green eyes were on the ground.

"Magnus, hurry up, we need to wash up!" Alec said, finally coming over and tugging the beggar by his tattered sleeve. He was pulled through the doorway into a stone entry way, steps on both sides, a woven rug on the floor leading to another door, a huge wooden one. Torches in gilded brackets on the walls lit up the hall, lining the stairs. A huge metal structure was suspended from the ceiling, multiple layered rings of candles on it.

"What is that?" Magnus hissed at Alec, awed and at the same time afraid of the huge and dangerous looking fixture. Jace heard, and gave Magnus a strange look.

"It's a chandelier.." he said, still looking at Magnus. The sun tanned boy flushed in embarrassment and looked down. Alec looked at his foster brother in annoyance, "He didn't know, Jace, don't judge him" the older boy said with an adult tone. The younger blonde just rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue.

A plump older woman came towards the trio. "Master Alec, Master Jace and...er...Magnus, was it?" she looked in confusion at the dirty orphan. He looked at his bare feet, hands behind his back and gave a tiny nod. "Lady Maryse says you must all wash and change for dinner. Hurry on now, boys" she made a shooing motion at them. The brothers exchanged looks. "I'LL RACE YOU!" they shouted at the same time. The shared look was over in a flash and they both raced for the stairs, shoving and grabbing. Alec barely looked over his shoulder as he mounted the first step, "Come on, Magnus!" the young lord hollered and Magnus looked at the old woman again. She gave him a small smile. "Go on, lad". Magnus nodded quickly, hurrying to the large stone stairway, hurrying to catch up to the boys. Below, they heard the woman call good-naturedly after them, "And no running!"

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**Hey there my lovely readers. Really happy with the support this story is getting even after one chapter! Thank you! Just a heads up, this story will hopefully be updated every two weeks with short chapters, mostly, until we get into the meat of the plot. But feel free, I'll (maybe) answer Q's and such, and take any ideas seriously. Plot bunnies, really...this is what happens. As always, love is appreciated, and if you find errors, please let me know!**

**Please, do what you know i want :) see you in two weeks...**


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